Standard UK Visitor visa refused due to insufficient finances, despite sponsor having over £10,000 i

[Liquorice]

I would be interested to know what type of savings account you have your money in. Is it an instant access account? Many are not and you get penaiised or have to wait to get at your money. It could make a difference.

It is easy access, but I guess that the ECO wouldn't have known that. Perhaps that's why they didn't consider it. I'm going to re-apply after transferring some funds into current.

Although you had £10,000 in a Savings account, not all Savings accounts are readily accessible, some require prior notice for withdrawals.

When submitting Saving account statements, where the funds are readily accessible, you also need to supply a letter from your Bank confirming it is a readily accessible account. The I/O's don't have the time to check the different types of Savings accounts for various Banks.

The burden of proof is on you to supply that information.

In my opinion, although you showed finances of over £10,000, you showed no evidence it was immediately accessible if required.

That was the reason for the refusal.

[brewsterbudgen]

I would be interested to know what type of savings account you have your money in. Is it an instant access account? Many are not and you get penaiised or have to wait to get at your money. It could make a difference.

It is easy access, but I guess that the ECO wouldn't have known that. Perhaps that's why they didn't consider it. I'm going to re-apply after transferring some funds into current.

Although you had £10,000 in a Savings account, not all Savings accounts are readily accessible, some require prior notice for withdrawals.

When submitting Saving account statements, where the funds are readily accessible, you also need to supply a letter from your Bank confirming it is a readily accessible account. The I/O's don't have the time to check the different types of Savings accounts for various Banks.

The burden of proof is on you to supply that information.

In my opinion, although you showed finances of over £10,000, you showed no evidence it was immediately accessible if required.

That was the reason for the refusal.

That could be the case. I must admit when my GF successfully applied in April, I just included a copy of my UK bank savings account statement, printed from theinternet, and I supplied nothing else from the bank regarding the type of account.

[rasg]

I supplied my bank statements from both my business accounts and current accounts but I explained in my sponsor letter that I am the sole proprietor of the business and I can spend that money in any way I choose.

It's important that you give them all of the information that they need and I explained everything I felt was necessary. My sponsor letter ran to two full A4s for the first visit visa.

An example in your case is that you have £10000 in savings in an instant access account which you can transfer at a moments notice OR transfer however much you need to cover the cost of the trip and explain that is what you have done.

If you would like to see what I used as my sponsor letter let me have an email address and I’ll email you a PDF.

[worriedsponsor]

We submitted the second application on Wednesday, so hoping that we'll get some news perhaps towards the end of next week.

On our first application they telephoned my fiance to interview her.

Does anyone have any opinions as the whether or not they'd interview her again? I'm wondering if maybe they wouldn't, since it's only been a couple of weeks or so since they last interviewed her.

[theoldgit]

Does anyone have any opinions as the whether or not they'd interview her again? I'm wondering if maybe they wouldn't, since it's only been a couple of weeks or so since they last interviewed her.

I suppose that it really depends if the issues you've addressed following the refused application warrant a further call.

If you think that the issue with finances has been addressed, and by that I mean your ability to provide support, then I suspect they wont call - but I don't really know.

[RAZZELL]

Turned down first time to UK only because we had only enough time to get 3 months bank statements despite me paying for everything , having money and owning my house in UK.

Second time married for 7 years. She had car ,houses in her name , over million bht in bank for 9 months and job. I was paying for everything again . Letters from parents in Uk , retired chief of police in Uk , letters from hotels I was going to be staying at etc and they gave 4 excuses saying why she couldn't get a visa. One was she had no money to buy a return ticket !!

My friend got his wife of a month there despite her having nothing and him living with his parents . He used a visa application company in BKK. He reckons the fee was part to company and part to make sure they got the visa.

Absolute nonsense again.

They ask for 6 months bank statements - you give them 3 and you wonder why your application was refused? It's an instant refusal!!!

Obviously, I can't explain your second application - would like to see the refusal letter.

And you friend is inferring that someone got a back hander ? Again BS. Maybe he or the visa company just did a "proper" application? As long as they had adequate accommodation it doesn't matter if it was owned by his parents.

RAZZ

[worriedsponsor]

Hi,

Just a quick note to say we got the visa, and with just some minor changes to the cover letter and some new statements. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread with advice, because it enabled us to make a successful application.

To help anyone else who's going to be applying for the UK standard visa, I'd advise being a bit careful about savings accounts if it's not obvious that they're easy access. Also, as a previous poster has noted, you should take pains to make sure that everything is stated explicitly. My original cover letter stated that I would be paying for my fiance's trip in full and stated the funds that I had in my savings account. My error may have been that I did not explicitly state that those funds would be used to pay for the trip. My posting from 2015-05-30 has more details on the alterations I made to the application.

Thanks again.

[rasg]

That's good news. Congratulations.

[hawkander]

After reading some of the experienced posters on here, I`m a little concerned about my Fiancee`s next application. My GF came to the UK in May 2015 and stayed for 5 months and returned within the 6 month time limit. On the application she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months. We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay, I have a regular pension payment, £1,100.00 that goes into my bank each month, £17,000.00 in my current account and a small balance, around £3,000.00 in my new business account. I will state that I will support her during her visit and pay for all expenses and flights and obviously supply bank statements.

Can anyone advise me on anything, that I have overlooked on the financial front or any other tips?

Thanks in advance.

[NanLaew]

After reading some of the experienced posters on here, I`m a little concerned about my Fiancee`s next application. My GF came to the UK in May 2015 and stayed for 5 months and returned within the 6 month time limit. On the application she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months. We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay, I have a regular pension payment, £1,100.00 that goes into my bank each month, £17,000.00 in my current account and a small balance, around £3,000.00 in my new business account. I will state that I will support her during her visit and pay for all expenses and flights and obviously supply bank statements.

Can anyone advise me on anything, that I have overlooked on the financial front or any other tips?

Thanks in advance.

Regarding her first visit, they may ask why "...she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months" since the excuse "Because she could" won't be readily accepted. The visa application is supposed to be factual and truthful so particular effort should be made to explain why the first visit although fully compliant with the visa's validity, was longer than stated in the application.

Visit visa's have been refused when it is implied that the applicant is using the maximum allowable stay on back-to-back visit visas to avoid applying for what they see is a more appropriate settlement visa which has a higher burden of proof in all aspects. Whether your partner will be granted another visit visa with the stated intent to 'max it out' depends on being able to address the item above to the satisfaction of the ECO.

Edited June 18, 2016 by NanLaew

[zoza]

some very interesting tales about sponsors and applications but where ever your funds are located and whether the bank statements are three months or six months does not matter if you get the treatment my wife's application received.

after getting our thai bank accounts stamped and signed and my English bank account statement for more than six months

we thought that we had covered that part of her application ,

until I looked at the folder when we got home? all the financial documents including proof of pensions, letters from my family explaining the reason for our visit.

and even the letter confirming our accommodation for our three week stay had been omitted from the application.

I have submitted a complaint the next day but all our efforts to complete a successful application have been sabotaged

by the actions of VFS. so it is just as important to make sure the VFS staff are not denying people their rights to a

fair service. as it is stated in the terms and conditions. does anyone know a good lawyer. pm me .cheers.

[rasg]

After reading some of the experienced posters on here, I`m a little concerned about my Fiancee`s next application. My GF came to the UK in May 2015 and stayed for 5 months and returned within the 6 month time limit. On the application she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months. We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay, I have a regular pension payment, £1,100.00 that goes into my bank each month, £17,000.00 in my current account and a small balance, around £3,000.00 in my new business account. I will state that I will support her during her visit and pay for all expenses and flights and obviously supply bank statements.

Can anyone advise me on anything, that I have overlooked on the financial front or any other tips?

Thanks in advance.

We had no problem doing something similar back in October when we applied for a second visit visa. On the first VV we asked for a month and she stayed for 14 weeks. I explained in my sponsor letter for the second visit visa application the reasons she stayed the extra time. We asked for a two year VV to start on the 1st December to meet my family for Christmas and it went through without a problem.

If you present a good solid application, there is no reason why it won't be granted. On the GF's application I just explained that I was supporting her and she had given up her job because of the downturn in business because of the terrible weather and there was no big reason for her to rush home.

[NanLaew]

some very interesting tales about sponsors and applications but where ever your funds are located and whether the bank statements are three months or six months does not matter if you get the treatment my wife's application received.

after getting our thai bank accounts stamped and signed and my English bank account statement for more than six months

we thought that we had covered that part of her application ,

until I looked at the folder when we got home? all the financial documents including proof of pensions, letters from my family explaining the reason for our visit.

and even the letter confirming our accommodation for our three week stay had been omitted from the application.

I have submitted a complaint the next day but all our efforts to complete a successful application have been sabotaged

by the actions of VFS. so it is just as important to make sure the VFS staff are not denying people their rights to a

fair service. as it is stated in the terms and conditions. does anyone know a good lawyer. pm me .cheers.

Based on the very recent and very similar circumstances you mention happening to another member here, the process where you "submitted a complaint" if done properly, should result in a second application being approved AND getting a refund for the first one if it fails. How did you lodge the complaint?

But good point for those with partners submitting applications; they must make sure that their unaccompanied partners insist in all the documentation provided being included with the application since the VFS clerks are neither qualified or permitted to make decisions on what is applicable and what is not.

Also, do not make documentary presentations in fancy folders as this is a waste of your money and the VFS clerks time and may result in important supporting evidence being omitted and/or ignored by accident.

[theoldgit]

After reading some of the experienced posters on here, I`m a little concerned about my Fiancee`s next application. My GF came to the UK in May 2015 and stayed for 5 months and returned within the 6 month time limit. On the application she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months. We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay, I have a regular pension payment, £1,100.00 that goes into my bank each month, £17,000.00 in my current account and a small balance, around £3,000.00 in my new business account. I will state that I will support her during her visit and pay for all expenses and flights and obviously supply bank statements.

Can anyone advise me on anything, that I have overlooked on the financial front or any other tips?

This "advice" from your agent was unbelievably unprofessional and could cause your girlfriend problems with future applications, I'm assuming it was a "back street" agent.

Whilst she has done nothing illegal by staying for five months against the one she declared in her application, when her application for entry clearance was being considered the Entry Clearance Officer would have made a decision based on the evidence submitted, if she was using employment as a reason to return then any future application using employment would lack credibility.

NanLaew is spot on with his advice that she needs to present factual and truthful in her application, in the circumstances you describe she wasn't. My advice would be that she should be proactive by explaining the reason she stayed four months longer than intended, by being proactive it might allay any suspicions the ECO might have in respect of the evidence provided - saying I was following the advice of an agent wont cut it, it's her application and it's her that is responsible.

[hawkander]

The reason she stayed the 5 months instead of the 1 month, that the agency said, was that she found out, that her job wouldn`t be held open, so it seemed pointless returning after only a month. I must admit that I didn`t think we were doing anything wrong, because this was the advice from the agency. She got another job on her return and I have also been supporting her since. I will speak to the agency this week to establish what our chances are, of an another application. Can anyone tell me, if my financial situation is adequate for this application?After reading some of the experienced posters on here, I`m a little concerned about my Fiancee`s next application. My GF came to the UK in May 2015 and stayed for 5 months and returned within the 6 month time limit. On the application she applied for a 1 month stay as advised by the agency and was given a visa for 6 months, so she stayed for 5 months. We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay, I have a regular pension payment, £1,100.00 that goes into my bank each month, £17,000.00 in my current account and a small balance, around £3,000.00 in my new business account. I will state that I will support her during her visit and pay for all expenses and flights and obviously supply bank statements.

Can anyone advise me on anything, that I have overlooked on the financial front or any other tips?

Many thanks for the posts

[hawkander]

The visa company, we used was Star visa.

[7by7]

The agency you used in her first application gave you extremely bad advice; advice which, as theoldgit explains above, may very well have damaged her credibility in future applications irrevocably!

My advice is that you avoid them like the plague!

If you wish to use an agency again, I recommend Thai Visa Express.

Not because they are forum sponsors, but because I know them to be honest and reliable and they would never give the bad advice you and your girlfriend received previously.

They are also, as far as I am aware, the only agency in Thailand registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner in the UK.

[Bernard Flint]

By the way - if you cannot reach the shockingly high bar described by 'eastendanto', don't worry - many of us have got visit visas for our Thai partners with far less in assets - we've had two successful applications and i never bought airline tickets in advance for example. But i repeat - it is better to say your fiance has NOTHING to contribute to the trip (and that you are paying for all of it) than to say she has 'X' in the bank and then it not be there on the page. Putting that £900 in the box for her contribution was just a little mistake and they pounced on it.

Disagree, my partner did all the work herself, submitted her bank statements, letter of company she worked for etc etc, no problems whatsoever.

[7by7]

Can anyone tell me, if my financial situation is adequate for this application?

Sorry, but it is impossible to give a definitive answer.

Unlike a settlement visa, there is no fixed financial requirement. Instead the applicant has to show that all the costs of the visit will be covered; from their resources, their sponsors, a third party or any combination of these.

Obviously these costs are not fixed. For example a couple staying in hotels will need more money to cover costs than a couple staying with friends or family.

If you are staying with friends or family then, in my opinion, the amounts you have stated are more than adequate.

[rasg]

Also, do not make documentary presentations in fancy folders as this is a waste of your money and the VFS clerks time and may result in important supporting evidence being omitted and/or ignored by accident.

You need something to separate the various aspects of the visa and you don't need expensive folders. I bought half s dozen see through A4 plastic wallets for a couple of pounds. A label on one, proof of relationship. Two was sponsor information. Three was information of applicant. On all three folders I included the applicants name and the visa application number.

7by7 is 100% right. Having 17k in the bank is fine as long as you don't state that you will be staying at the Ritz for the duration of the trip. On the first application for the GF's first visit visa I included a letter from my sister offering us the free use of her holiday home on the coast for a couple of weeks along with a photo of it. On the main application they ask about the total cost of the trip. I put in a figure of 2k for a month. With a two week stay in the holiday home for free it was a credible amount of money to pay for her trip. I also mentioned that the GF had very little money in her bank account and as she had always been paid in cash. Sticking money in your partners isn’t necessary and many do.

If you show you have 3k in a business account you need to mention a little about the business and show you can spend that money. If you are the sole business owner mention it. If you have a business partner an ECO might query why you are allowed to spend that money on a holiday.

We are now in the process of applying for a second visit, hopefully for 6 a month stay,

This is very important and it hasn't been mentioned! I wouldn’t request a six month stay. Just because a visit visa runs for six months doesn't mean you have to use the whole six months. You don't mention how long ago your GF came to the UK but she is only allowed to stay in the UK for 180 days in a 12 month period.

My example. My GF arrived in the UK on 1st July 2015 and stayed for 14 weeks. We went back to Thailand together in the middle of October. Visit visa number two for two years was granted a couple of weeks later that started on the 1st December and she came back to the UK on the 1st for the requested six weeks. She stayed longer and it was then from this forum I found out about the 180 day rule. I did a few calculations and she went home to Thailand on the 15th February. It meant that she had stayed in the UK for exactly 180 days from her first arrival on the 1st July.

If she had stayed longer she would have overrun the 180 days allowed in a 12 month period and it may have jeopardised her next visa. So there we were, the GF with a two year visit visa that she couldn’t next use until the 1st July 2016. We ended up going for a Settlement visa because we didn’t want to spend six months apart. If my GF had overrun her 180 day stay she may not have got that visa.

I would never use a visa company. I have said this before. You end up having to do 85-90% work yourself supplying the information and if you have had a visa issued before you can use 95% of that info in the next visa if you have a computer copy, which is ideal, or a paper copy that you have to retype.

Edited June 19, 2016 by rasg

[hawkander]

My GF arrived in the UK, on the 27th May 2015 and returned to Thailand on the 24th October 2015, so would I be right in assuming that any application we make, will be a new 180 day period?

[theoldgit]

Yes it would but it's not as simple as that, she would still need to satisfy the ECO that she's a genuine visitor and not attempting to use regular visit visas to spend prolonged periods in the UK.

The more often she does it the reasons to return will face more scrutiny.

[rasg]

My GF arrived in the UK, on the 27th May 2015 and returned to Thailand on the 24th October 2015, so would I be right in assuming that any application we make, will be a new 180 day period?

Yes. I wouldn't ask for a six month trip because I doubt that she will get it. Just my opinion though. My GF asked for a month on the first visit visa and six weeks on the second. Both times she stayed longer than we requested but as I have already said I gave UKVI good enough reasons why she did so. When we applied for a settlement visa to get married back in February it went through without a problem.

[hawkander]

The intention is to get married, later this year or start of next year and then apply for a settlement visa for UK, can you tell me the costs involved and what are the timescales?

[rasg]

It depends where you get married and the prices go up by quite a bit every year around April.

If you get married in Thailand the process is different to getting married in the UK.

We are getting married in the UK next week and the initial Settlement (M) visa which most people seem to call a fiancée visa lasts for six months was £956. You have to get married in that six month period. As they price in dollars and hit you with a nasty exchange rate it was over £1k. Your GF will need to take a language test and from October (I think) they have made the test more difficult. It is only in speaking and listening. About £150 for a six minute test. She will also need a TB test. 3300 baht. The latest price for this visa is 1816 USD. £1264 ish. It will be more as you have to pay on a card and the exchange rate on cards is very poor.

We have to apply for our next visa (FLR) before 8th September. It lasts for two years and six months and with the NHS surcharge it's around £1500. We apply from within the UK.

You don't need a reason to return but financially it is far more difficult to get. You need an income of more than £18600 pa. You can make that up with salary and savings etc. If you are self employed you have to rely solely on your salary from your business. Supposedly original bank statements are needed but I printed out Internet copies and had them stamped and dated by Santander. As I am self employed I asked my accountant to do the job for me.

Edited June 19, 2016 by rasg

[7by7]

The intention is to get married, later this year or start of next year and then apply for a settlement visa for UK, can you tell me the costs involved and what are the timescales?

Although it needs some updating, you may find the pinned topic UK settlement visa basics helpful.

See also the following from UKVI:-

Apply to join family living permanently in the UK

Financial requirement

Immigration Rules Appendix FM-SE: family members specified evidence

NHS surcharge

Note that all fees etc. in those documents are valid at the time of posting; they may have changed by the time your then wife applies. Particularly the application fee as these are usually increased each April.

Timescales are difficult to predict, as it depends on how busy the visa section are at the time. The processing times for Bangkok for settlement decisions made in April 2016 show that 100% were processed within 30 working days.

But past performance is no guarantee of future performance, and UKVI advise allowing 12 weeks.

[hawkander]

Many many thanks for all the info, I will look in some detail, when I get the chance.